The Lady and Her Swan
by Maleficent'sConscience
Summary: Emma sat in the corner of the ballroom, a melancholy smile playing across parted lips. Her sad eyes followed Regina's every movement, every turn and every dip. How could people not see the adoration in her longing gaze? For Regina it was as clear as the moon in the night sky. SwanQueen!
1. Chapter 1

Kind of AU but not completely. Hope ya'll enjoy!

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It had been a day of torment and distress. Being forced to spend hours in the company of self-righteous snobs, only aiming to grab hold of a suitable partner, is enough to tire anyone. Even Regina. She'd initially contemplated feigning illness to avoid attending this ball entirely, not that her mother would have made that easy. But once informed that _she_ was going to be there, Regina knew she would subject herself to even the most insufferable boredom just to gain a glimpse of this beauty that plagued her dreams. _Her_ beauty.

Her beauty, whom Regina now watched from a distance, could only be described as breathtaking. Her golden hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck but strands of her shining curls had escaped, framing her porcelain face and accentuating her vibrant green eyes. She didn't walk; her slight form glided across the floor with unconsciously graceful movements. And when she turned to face Regina from across the room, her lush lashes rose to reveal an intensity in her gaze and her blood-red lips curved into what can only be described as a suggestive smile.

Regina groaned at the implications of that smile.

Startled glances from immediate company were what finally drew her from her thoughts. She coughed, covering her mouth with her hand in hope to disguise the noises that had just escaped her lips. She didn't miss her mother's disapproving sneer. _A lady must never allow herself to be anything less than poised and perfect when in the company of others._

She straightened her back and sucked in as much of a breath as her tight corset would allow. When her mother's eyes drifted back to the lady beside her she allowed herself to find her beauty in the crowd once more. There she stood, befitting of her name, a swan amongst mere ducks. Lady Emma.

How did she ever let things get this far? Stolen glances in her Emma's direction is what she had to settle for in the public eye, but her mind constantly reels with possibilities of what may occur if she were able to steel the other woman away from the crowds for just a short half hour. She'd let her physical needs possess her one too many times and now she was addicted.

"He is so handsome," young Snow White said, wonderment evident in her tone. Regina followed the gaze of her companion until she was met with the sight of Lord Robin of Locksley.

"Yes, and the son of an Earl. A very eligible bachelor indeed." Regina's mother concluded, eyeing her daughter.

Regina almost scoffed at the thought. When had eligible come only to mean single and wealthy? How could this _womaniser_ be more worthy of her affection than a woman whom she adored with her entire being? A woman who cherished her unconditionally?

She watched, bitterness on her tongue, as he smiled at one of the young girls in his company; the girl then swooned appropriately at the gesture. Regina was in the midst of rolling her eyes when she saw him lift his head and glance in her direction. She ducked from his sight but when she noticed Snow straightening her skirts she knew she had been too late.

"My Lady," Lord Robin greeted in a sultry tone, taking Regina's hand in his and planting a lingering kiss on the back of it. The sight of his lips upon her flesh was enough to make her skin crawl, yet her mother and Snow seemed to glow in his mere presence alone.

She swallowed her pride and listened to his jabbering for what felt like hours. When the sound of the waltz eventually flittered through the air she sighed in relief thinking he would _finally_ depart from their company. Instead, he turned, a confident smile in place, and asked Regina to join him in the first dance.

 _No._ The word lodged itself in the back of her throat and she gulped it down, blanching at the foul taste it left in her mouth. There was no sidestepping this time, not with her mother's eyes boring into her.

She allowed herself to be lead to the dancefloor where she dutifully followed his lead. She kept her head to the left as he made numerous sweeping turns in response to the flourishes of the music. Her skirts danced around her legs, their baby blue colour gracing the ballroom floor.

She'd danced in Emma's arms like this once, in the dimly lit room at the back of the palace. Emma had kissed her lips tenderly before pulling Regina into her arms and swaying them to non-existent music.

"If only I could have you in my arms like this forever," Emma had whispered, "If only I could tell the world that you are mine."

But it was not to be. She was a young unaccounted for lady with beauty and good breeding on her side, to anyone else she and Robin appeared to be perfect pairing.

But how she longed for the one whose mere touch made her knees falter and whose whispered words set fire to her insides.

Her Emma sat in the corner of the ballroom, a melancholy smile playing across parted lips. Her sad eyes following Regina's every movement, every turn and every dip. How could people not see the adoration in her longing gaze? For Regina it was as clear as the moon in the night sky.

But people never cared enough to look. Only she could read the emotions in her Emma's eyes, and only Emma could see the sadness hidden beneath Regina's regal exterior. Only Emma looked past the jewels and the gown, the lifted chin and the quiet disposition… and just saw her in her entirety.

But the love they share is forbidden. And though they knew that their time spent in one another's arms will soon come to a sorrowful end, Regina knew that their scandalous romance would never be forgotten.

 **SQ**

"Regina, we're in the book!" Emma cried, slamming Henry's beloved 'Once Upon a Time' book on the Mayor's marble table. Dust puffed from its pages and Regina coughed as she fanned away the cloud of filth before her.

"Miss Swan! What is the meaning of this?" The Mayor screeched. But Emma's only response was to place a shaking finger on the coloured picture that sat in front of Regina.

Regina's gaze fell to the pages and she gasped.

In the image stood a brunette, clothed in a pale blue dress, wrapped in the arms of a man. Her gaze was set firmly on a blonde with rose red lips, who stood alone in the corner of the ballroom.

No one could deny the resemblance. It _was_ Regina. And it _was_ Emma.

With her heart pounding in her chest she read aloud the title of the chapter.

"The Lady and her Swan."

Silence enveloped them for mere moments before Emma breathed a heavy sigh.

"What. The. Fuck."

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Thanks for reading :) Comments always appreciated :D


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, so I wasn't intending to continue this but here it is.

AU, set after the Wicked Witch stuff but assuming the Snow Queen stuff hasn't happened yet. No Robin (except for his small part in the first chapter) and no Hook.

Special thanks to my girl for reading over this for me (So blame any mistakes on her, of course, haha)

Enjoy! :D

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"This never used to be in here." Regina said, flipping through the remaining pages of the book. "I've been through it before, a thousand times over!"

She eyed Emma, who just shrugged unsurely before coming to stand by Regina's side.

"Don't look at me, I have no idea how it got in there." She assured the brunette. "I just found the thing lying on the floor in my room. I've never really been through it before so I decided to give it a look and, well, you can imagine my surprise when I found my fucking self in there."

One minute she was skimming through the life and times of a young Snow White and the next she was reading about the affair she'd apparently once had with the Evil Queen.

Regina pressed her palms against her forehead.

"I can't even begin to imagine what this could mean."

"It doesn't have to mean anything." Emma flicked back to the image of herself and Regina and ran her fingers over the page.

"Maybe this is just a sick prank," She said, "Or maybe it is all just some weird coincidence."

Regina threw a glare in the blonde's direction.

"Yes, Miss Swan," She scoffed, "A coincidence! There's obviously another Emma and another Regina living unhappily ever after in the enchanted forest as we speak. I suppose that the uncanny resemblance to us also means nothing." She slapped Emma's hands away from the book before inspecting it closer herself. It certainly looked legitimate, the same paper and the same ink, it didn't look tampered with at all.

"Well, unless I managed to travel through time and realms…and then back again…" Emma said, raising an eyebrow at the Mayor before continuing "Then bump my head hard enough to forget about doing all of this, I'm pretty sure it never actually happened."

She was awaiting a snarky response from Regina when she noticed the other woman appeared to be deep in thought.

"There's only one person in this town who could possibly know exactly what is going on." Regina said, and before Emma had a chance to question the former Evil Queen's apparent epiphany she found herself being dragged roughly from the room.

SQ

Emma never really understood why the people of Storybrooke continued to go to Mr. Gold for help. He was kind of like the devil, making 'deals' and tricking you into selling your soul. Yet here she was, walking warily through the front door of his shop as Regina shoved her repeatedly in the back in a less than subtle attempt at getting her to move faster.

"Calm down," Emma hissed, "You never know what you're going to get with this guy, I'm just being cautious."

Regina ducked under her arm and stalked toward the counter.

"I don't have time to be cautious Miss Swan, I have better things to be doing right now."

Emma fought off a smile; Regina was full of shit. Since the breaking of the curse and a few other minor incidents (Peter Pan, The Wicked Witch of the West etc.) Storybrooke had been relatively quiet. Emma spent most of her days at the Sheriff's office playing basketball with scrunched up pieces of paper, so there's really no way the Mayor was going to be crammed with paperwork.

"What could be better than spending time with me?"

"Having my eyelashes plucked out one by one?" Regina offered, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Rumpelstiltskin slithered out from the back room of his shop effectively ending their banter. Emma noted the smirk he threw in Regina's direction. His smugness irked her, he was always too confident and too comfortable with the destruction he'd caused in the brunette's life. Emma was in the midst of considering the most effective way to pummel the shit out of him when he leant against his desk and cockily asked:

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Emma stepped forward to address him but Regina's hand extended toward her, stopping her in her path.

"I have a question for you," Regina said smoothly, "About Henry's book."

He placed his cane in the middle of his body and leant against it with both hands before he nodded for Regina to continue.

"Is it possible for new stories to appear, ones that were never there before?"

"Anything is possible." Mr. Gold said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, "But I have a sneaking suspicion that you wouldn't be here if you didn't already know the answer to that question."

"Well what does it mean then, if a new story just appears?" Emma asked, already growing tired of his games. "Are all the stories in the book real, have they all actually happened?"

"Am I right in assuming that this new story included the pair of you?" He gestured to them both with his cane.

"Perhaps."

"Well, do you recall it happening?"

"Most certainly not." Regina answered, perhaps too eagerly.

"Then it couldn't possibly have happened, could it?"

Emma huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"We're here for answers Gold, not more questions."

"I have no answers." He said, holding his hands up as if to prove his innocence.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" Regina hissed. She took a slow step forward and tilted her head to the side. "You, _Imp_ , have been involved in _everything_ that's ever gone wrong in my life. Why should I trust that you have nothing to do with this?"

The room was silent for a few moments. Emma picked at the skin around her nails as she watched Regina and Mr. Gold anxiously. They were holding eye contact and neither appeared to be breathing. She wasn't really sure what she would do if this got physical, or magical, or whatever. The best course of action would probably be to run as far away as possible.

Eventually Gold rocked back on his heels and cleared his throat.

"Believe what you will dearie, but I will tell you this: Where magic is concerned, everything happens for a reason. If you can't find the answer, the answer will eventually find you." He tapped his cane on the floor and smiled insincerely at them both before turning to walk back into his office.

"What does that even mean?" Emma asked once they'd left Gold's shop. "The answers will find us, it sounds creepy."

"It means exactly what you think it means."

They found themselves outside Granny's diner and wordlessly agreed that it was probably time to have some lunch. A few months ago the entire town's eyes would be on them whenever they were spotted together, but now it was just one or two whispering customers. Emma wondered what they could possibly be saying to one another, ' _Look, there they are again, The Mayor and The Sheriff having lunch_ '. Surely in a town of Fairy-tale creatures there would be more interesting things to be gossiping about.

Once they had seated themselves and ordered, Regina pulled the book from her bag.

"The answers are all here." She said confidently. Emma furrowed her brows in confusion.

"There's nothing in there but a short and relatively uninformative story about 'alternate you' and 'alternate me'."

"But don't you see, the book _found_ you! Why else would it have been on the floor in your bedroom."

Emma shrugged.

"I assumed Henry put it there."

"No," Regina rolled her eyes at the blondes simple thought process, "it appeared there for a reason, because this book has the answers."

Regina opened it to the first page and began slowly reading through, word for word, in search of clues. She managed to refrain from gouging out her eyeballs as she read all about the birth of little princess Snow and how her mother and father had doted on her so. She didn't even flinch when she came across her own story, even though she saw so clearly now how she was just a pawn in her manipulative mother's game. Then she reached the new story, her and Emma's story.

She glanced up at the blonde to find her casually sipping away at a large milkshake, apparently completely enthralled by the task.

Could she ever really have fallen for this woman, in any world?

She thought back to the moment they first met, those few seconds before she was aware of who Emma was, before she knew the blonde was a threat to her entire existence. What did she feel then?

She couldn't deny a potential for attraction. Emma was gorgeous, even when she was dressed in a singlet and that god awful red jacket. She was certainly not the dead-beat Regina had expected Henry's birth mother to be.

Emma must've felt Regina's eyes on her because she smiled sheepishly and lowered her almost empty glass to the table.

"Find anything?" She asked. Regina shook her head and flopped back in her seat.

"Well, there's always tomorrow." Emma leant forward and placed her hand atop of Regina's, "Come on, let's go pick the kid up from school."

 **SQ**

They returned to the Mayoral Mansion with Henry in tow. Neither of them had mentioned to him the new addition to his beloved book, knowing it would only cause confusion within their family unit. He rushed up to his bedroom after grabbing a snack for himself, leaving his mother's to once again fret over their current life mystery.

"So, I was thinking," Emma said casually, sauntering into Regina's kitchen to search through the fridge. "Maybe the page in the book appeared because of something that happened between us."

Regina watched as the blonde pulled out a small tub of yogurt, removed the lid and licked it clean.

"I mean, the night before the story appeared was the first time you and I, well, you know." She finished, shrugging her shoulders awkwardly before shoving a heaped spoon into her mouth.

Regina felt her lips tug up into a smile.

"The first time we hugged, Miss Swan." She said, not being able to help but find Emma's discomfort somewhat endearing.

"Yeah. That."

Regina contemplated the idea for a moment. Emma had made a solid observation. Physical affection had never really been a regular occurrence in their lives and the night before the new story appeared did happen to be the same night that certain boundaries between them had been broken.

Henry had recently taken up soccer (after some serious encouragement from Emma) and whilst he certainly wasn't the most talented kid on the field there _had_ been significant improvement since the start of this season. They'd been at his game, cheering from the sideline, when he kicked the ball straight between the goal keeper's legs. In the midst of their jumping and screaming they'd turned to one another and engaged in a short, yet not altogether unpleasant, embrace. Could it all be linked?

"I suppose it is plausible." She confirmed.

"Do you think the rest of the story would appear if we did something, you know, more than we usually do?"

Regina pursed her lips and swayed her head from side to side before she nodded.

"There's only one way to find out." She said, approaching the blonde with slow, cautious steps.

Emma's mouth fell open and Regina raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Are you scared Miss Swan? I assure you, I don't bite." Emma was backing away with wide frightened eyes. The brunette was now less than an inch away, gazing up at Emma predatorily.

Emma looked like she was going to burst- with anticipation or fear or something alike – when Regina broke out into a full blown smile and leant up on her tippy toes to place a quick kiss on her cheek. Before Emma even had a chance to react the other woman was gone, having rushed over to Henry's book to assess any possible changes.

"Shit." Emma heard Regina whisper, "It actually worked."

Emma rushed to glance over Regina's shoulder.

Before them was an entirely new page, complete with colourful illustrations.

 **SQ**

Rocinante's legs pounded against the forest floor, sweat trickled down his body and his nose puffed out clouds of warm air.

Regina took in a deep breath of fresh air – free air – and laughed loudly. She pulled the galloping beast to a halt and turned about face to watch her Emma in the distance, struggling to keep atop a scrawny white mare.

"My darling," She called, "You will have to do better than that if you wish to catch me."

She dug her heels into Rocinante's ribs and took off again, darting into the forest where she knew they would always be safe from this world's judgments.

She knew Emma would not catch her. The other girl was seriously lacking in equestrian ability and she rode as though she had only done so on rare occasions, which made no sense for a woman of her breeding. When Regina had first introduced Emma to Rocinante, the blonde had stumbled away from him when he attempted to approach her and snag the carrot she held in her hand. Regina had simply laughed before pushing the blonde toward him and holding the girls hand firmly in hers whilst reoffering the treat to the chestnut creature. How was Emma so untrusting and fearful of these gentle giants after all her years?

When Regina reached their spot she jumped to the ground and stood, hands on her hips, as she awaited the arrival of the other girl. Soon enough she heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground and then there was Emma, wrestling with the reigns in a struggle to guide the horse in the right direction.

"Honestly Emma, you've been riding all your life, why do you struggle so?"

A look flittered over the blonde's face that Regina couldn't quite read.

"It's a long story," Emma said, swinging one leg over the mare as she attempted to dismount. Her foot became caught in the stirrup and she stumbled back into the awaiting arms of Regina.

"I've got time." Regina said, as she helped untangled the blonde.

When free, Emma turned in Regina's arms and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. She relished in the way the brunette's cheeks reddened at the gesture. Such a beauty was Regina, far too good for someone like her.

"Another time, my lady."

Regina wanted to forget it, to not need to question her Swan. But life had trained her not to trust and Emma was most certainly hiding something. Their love was strong though, it could handle any obstacle, of that she was certain.

She allowed the blonde to pull her to the ground, not giving thought to the mud that would dirty her clothing. She felt herself being guided to lay upon Emma's chest and did so willingly, finding contentment in the sound of the other girl's heartbeat.

"My darling Emma," She said after a few moments, "I know you hide a part of yourself from me, you always have."

The girl's heart pounded loudly in her chest and Regina knew she had been right. She'd always had a sense about Emma, from the first day they had become acquainted, when their eyes had met across a crowded ballroom and they'd shared a smile. She could see the emotion in Emma's forest green orbs and she knew the meaning behind the blonde's curved pink lips. She was put upon this world to read this woman, to study her and to understand her.

"Tell me, my love, what is it that you hide?"

She laced her fingers with the blonde's, squeezing softly in an attempt to convey all the love that she felt. _You're safe with me Emma,_ she wished to say, _no secret can stop me from wanting you._

"Regina, I'm not from here." She heard Emma say. She furrowed her brows but nodded regardless.

"Then where is it that you're from?"

"Somewhere else, somewhere far away, somewhere that I need to go back to."

Regina pulled out of Emma's embrace and searched the girl's face. But she did not find comfort in what she saw. Emma looked guilty, as if she were about to tell Regina something that could possibly break her heart. It was then that it dawned on her.

"You're leaving me?" She asked, tears stinging her eyes. "Of course, that is what you've been hiding all this time." She stood and brushed off her knees, ignoring Emma's attempts to pull her back.

"No, Regina, you don't understand." The blonde grabbed her firmly. "Let me explain." She pleaded, her voice cracking.

She stopped and swiped at her eyes quickly before allowing herself to look into the depths of Emma's green orbs, knowing that it was there and only there that she would find truth.

"Explain then." She hissed, baring her teeth, "Explain why it is that I have given myself to you when you do not intend to keep me."

"God Regina, just listen!" Emma ran her hand through her hair exasperatedly. It was a mess, it almost always was. Except for those formal occasions when it was pinned at the nape of her neck. Regina preferred it like this though, wild and free, just like Emma.

"I'm not going to leave you." Emma whispered, "I never want to be without you."

Silence enveloped them for moments before Regina's mouth dropped open in understanding.

"You mean for me to go with?" She asked, her eyes wide.

Emma nodded, ducking her head shyly.

"Yeah, that's what I want. But I understand if you choose not to, it is a big ris-" She was silenced by Regina, who had jumped in her arms and placed a kiss firmly on her lips before pulling back to pepper kisses all over her face.

"Yes, my darling, I will go with you." Regina breathed, relief flooding through her, "I would follow you through all the realms."

"You would? Through all the realms?" Emma asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"Emma, I would live a life in squalor if it meant that I was forever by your side."

 **SQ**

Regina glanced over at Emma, whose eyes were focused on the image that accompanied the new chapter. It was of them, standing in one another's embrace, their horses grazing in the background.

"We're kind of cute." Emma said with a laugh.

Regina scoffed, finding it frustrating that Emma could always find humour in such serious situations.

"A doomed relationship, no doubt." She said before snapping the book shut. Emma managed to pull back just in time to stop her nose from being squashed within the pages.

"You don't know that, we haven't read the rest of the story." She said, bumping her shoulder against Regina's.

 _Charming's_. Always so optimistic. Always so… _Happy._

"No one who loves me will be happy, Miss Swan. Not in this world and not in _that_ world." She stabbed her finger at the book, "Rest assured, the love these two foolish girl's share is predestined for tragedy. I guarantee it."

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Thank you for reading! Comments _always_ appreciated :D


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